A really thoughtful post at SeeLight, On “Hapa” And Cultural Appropriation. I have to say, I was pretty excited to learn the word “hapa” and feel that maybe there was something I could use to describe myself (I already knew “haole” from childhood as an insult, via my Korean g’ma who grew up in Hawai’i). But as the author writes of “hapa” – “I don’t want to use the word anymore; its power is gone and its savor has soured for me.” You can be sure I won’t be looking for advice on what to call myself from Rep. Betty Brown, though.

SitOrSquat is a toilet finder from Charmin. With ratings. Features people can enter when they submit a toilet include changing table (would like to see this entered for lots of men’s rooms!), handicap access, tampon vending, and condom vending.

Aunt B of Tiny Cat Pants on SJR127 issues, which would amend our state Constitution to say that nothing in it protects or secures the right to an abortion, “including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.” Read that again. It specifies that there is no right to an abortion, even when necessary to save a woman’s life. B notes that a Rep who is an RN talked about her experiences when abortion was illegal, and how such legislation will never actually stop the procedure, and that Rep. Vince Dean essentially responded thusly: “According to Dean, if you have an abortion and it kills you, that’s a knowable and acceptable outcome to him and the people that vote for him.”

Nashville’s Earth Day events by Team Green at Lightning 100 on Saturday, April 18 will include a safe medication collection and disposal service “to collect outdated or excess over-the-counter and prescription medications and dispose of them in an environmentally safe and secure manner.” They note that “At least 13 common drugs including antidepressants and antibiotics were found in the Tennessee River System, according to a study by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Ramifications include antibiotic resistance in humans and damage to aquatic life.”

Lyrl, you beat me to it. I was going to mention that some drugs are excreted unchanged in the urine. I know there are some areas with high rates of estrogens and progestins in the waterways. That may be lower since the WHI and HRT rates have gone down.

Rachel, thanks for the link! Great round up. I loved that medical library carnival. I am a secret med librarian in disguise.

You are both right, of course. Was just talking with the pharmaceutical company-employed father-in-law this weekend about the issue of drugs->urine->water supply. I think a *lot* of people don’t realize that wastewater treatment is microbiologically-focused, not so much on the chemical/pharmaceutical removal.